Their Majesties and other members of the royal family were greeted on arrival by the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman.The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti, followed by a Doa and the recitation of Khatam Al-Quran by the participants.

The event continued with the recitation of Takhtim and Tahlil by religious officers and teachers from the Department of Islamic Studies, and the recitation of Doa Khatam Al-Quran by Muhammad Yusran bin Haji Jahari, a student under the Tilawah Al-Quran Scheme.

The ceremony then continued with a Marhaban performed by 69 mosque officers from the Department of Mosque Affairs and 69 religious officers and teachers from the Department of Islamic Studies.

The ceremony ended with the recitation of Doa Selamat by the State Mufti.

His Majesty then received Junjung Ziarah from the male participants, while Her Majesty received Junjung Ziarah from female participants.

The event has been an annual event to showcase the Islamic way of life in the country during His Majesty’s birthday celebration since 2011.

The event reinforces His Majesty’s aspiration for the citizens to be savvy in the Al-Quran in hopes of gaining blessings and protection for the country from Allah the Almighty.

This year, a total of 1,669 participants comprising 496 men and 483 women, and 690 boys and girls, aged 12 years and under, joined the event.

This year saw a bigger participation from youth and children that included students from Arabic schools, Tilawah Al-Quran Scheme, religious schools and Khatam Al-Quran Scheme for children under the age of 10 years.

DESPITE first making its appearance in the Sultanate during the 1940s, Kuih Mor continues to be a household favourite today as a tea time snack or festive treat particularly during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

Siti Norhafizah Hj Bagol, a final year student at Universiti Brunei Darussalam who researched on Kuih Mor as part of her Brunei Traditional Industry module, said the three-ingredient sweet treat may have existed in Brunei as early as the 1940s when padi was known to have been grown to make different food items.

Over time, the cookie has also become a popular door-gift choice often handed out at Malay weddings or gatherings, said Siti Norhafizah.

Made with flour, oil and granulated sugar which have been ground into a powder, the bite-sized biscuits have a crumbly texture and are coated with powdered sugar.

The age-old technique of making Kuih Mor by hand has however changed over the course of time, with many now opt…

BY COMMAND of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Prime Minister’s Office hereby announces that His Majesty has consented to the transfer and appointment of the following senior officers – Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid, Permanent Secretary (Law and Welfare) at the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau and Solicitor General has been transferred to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; and Datin Elinda binti Haji CA Mohamed, Special Senior Duties Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs has been appointed as Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau.